Young Pianists' Summer Intensive Course

Daily Group classes + 1:1 coaching session (30 mins per participant) + Open Q&A group session with course tutors (for students + parents).

This course offers a fantastic opportunity for young pianists to spend an immersive week training in person with eminent RIAM Keyboard Faculty Professors, bringing their piano playing to the next level and developing the skills every young pianist needs. 

Professors Anthony Byrne and Thérèse Fahy will work with students on their chosen piece(s) of repertoire, aiding participants in their approach to the music and giving guidance on practice methods and the elements of playing technique most relevant to them.

 

Group Classes Schedule (10 hours of group classes)

Mon - Fri:    11:15 AM   PRACTICAL PIANO PLAYING class (with Prof. A. Byrne)

                    12:30 PM   PERFORMANCE class (with Prof. T. Fahy)

 

1:1 Coaching session (1 x 30 min) with one of the two Professors

In addition to the daily group lessons, each student is offered one 1:1 coaching session (30 min duration) on one of the course days, to privately work on individual challenges. 

1:1 coaching sessions will take place before and after the group lessons as follows:

AM: Mon - Thu:     (with Prof. A. Byrne)

• 9:30 - 10:00 AM
• 10:00 - 10:30 AM
• 10:30 - 11:00 AM 

PM: Mon - Thu:      (with Prof. T. Fahy) 

• 1:45 - 2:15 PM
• 2:15 - 2:45 PM
• 2:45 - 3:15 PM 

 (Note: Each participant will be able to indicate three preferences for a 1:1 coaching session. While trying to be as accommodating as possible RIAM reserves the right to allocate slots as necessary to evenly fill the schedule).

 

FRIDAY 19th of July (Venue: RIAM Vernon Studio)

Open group Q&A session for participants and parents (2:00 - 3:00 PM)

On Friday the 19th of July, before the concert, all course participants and their parents will have the opportunity to consult with the two tutors in an open Questions and Answer group session for some feedback on their performance and suggestions and advice on future development.

End of Course Concert (3:00 PM - ca. 5:00 PM) 

All course participants will have the opportunity to perform one of their chosen pieces in a concert setting for invited family members and friends. 

 

 

 

 

About Prof. Thérèse Fahy and Prof. Anthony Byrne

Thérèse Fahy, one of Ireland’s foremost pianists, enjoys an active performing and teaching career at home and abroad. Her regular recital and concerto appearances throughout Europe and the United States have met with critical acclaim, as have her numerous broadcasts for both RTÉ and BBC.

Recent engagements have included solo recitals, lecture-recitals and masterclasses in France, the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, Portugal, USA, the Czech Republic, Holland, Israel, Ethiopia and Ireland, as well as serving on international juries including Dublin International Piano Competition, the Manchester International Concerto Competition in Great Britain, the Baltic International Piano Competition and the Scriabin International Piano Competition, Italy. As the only professional Irish pianist to specialise in the performance of French music, Thérèse Fahy has performed and internationally toured Debussy’s complete works for solo piano, and her performances of the solo works of Messiaen have been described by The Irish Times as a “tour de force”. In 2018, as well as bringing her Debussy Festival to Dublin and Paris, Thérèse was honoured to perform a solo recital at Debussy’s birthplace on March 25th, the exact centenary date of the composer’s death. In November 2019, the French Government bestowed on Thérèse Fahy the award of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

A Fulbright scholar and a French Government scholar, Thérèse Fahy is Professor of Piano at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Her students have been First Prizewinners and Finalists in many international competitions, including the Shanghai International Piano Competition, Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, EU International Piano Competition, the Hong Kong International Piano Competition, the Maria Canals Competition in Barcelona, the Beethoven Competition in Bonn, César Franck Competition in Brussels.

 

Professor Anthony Byrne studied piano in Dublin with Marie Jones and John O’Conor. Anthony then continued his studies in Canada, New York and London with such internationally renowned teachers as Peter Katin, Adele Marcus and Alexander Kelly. Whilst studying in London Anthony became an associate of the Royal College of Music.

Anthony has given concerts in Ireland, England, the US, Canada and Japan. In 1986 he made his London debut at the Purcell Room and made his Wigmore Hall debut in 1989. He has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on numerous occasions and in July 1997, gave the Irish premiere of Leroy Anderson’s piano concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Colman Pearse.

In December 2005 Anthony played the Grieg Piano Concerto with the Dublin Orchestra Players and on the 21st of February of 2006, he joined the National Symphony Orchestra at the National Concert Hall playing Saint-Saëns’ 5th Piano Concerto.

In 2007 Anthony gave a recital of piano music by Liszt at the National Concert Hall. Anthony recently partnered with his wife, international soprano Mairead Buicke, in recitals throughout Ireland and also in the House of Lords in London, Malaga and the Metropolitan Club, New York.  

In November 2008 he played Saint-Saëns’ 5th Piano Concerto with the Dublin Symphony Orchestra and in June 2009 he played Mendelssohn and Mozart with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. In 2015 Anthony played the Grieg Concerto with the Dublin Symphony Orchestra to mark the thirtieth anniversary of his concerto debut. In October 2015 and 2017 he performed a Chopin and Beethoven recital in the National Concert Hall and played the role of Giuseppe in the sell-out show The Puccini Scandal also at the National Concert Hall.

Anthony is a Senior Lecturer of Piano at the Royal Irish Academy of Music where he also sits on the Academic Board of Studies. In 2012 and 2013 he gave masterclasses at the Conservatory of Music in Malaga. In 2012 he was appointed Specialist External Keyboard Examiner at the Royal Conservatoire Scotland. He has also been appointed as a panel examiner to the RCS DMus degree. In June of 2016, he was appointed Specialist External Keyboard Examiner at the Royal College of Music in London and was also appointed to the same position at Trinity-Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London in 2017. In 2021 he sat on the screening jury for the Hastings International Piano Competition.

Ability:

• There is no RIAM certification required for this course, but a minimum ability of Grade VI is necessary

Age:

• 13-18
• Parents of students aged 11 or 12 (must be Grade VI or higher) who would like their child to be considered for this course need to contact shortcourses@riam.ie, prior to registering their child.